Perils of a First Year
by tigress12
Summary: An anonymous inside look at the life of a first year. One-shot


Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Perils of a First Year

I take one last look at my surroundings before squeezing my eyes shut and running straight at the brick wall that I am sure is as solid as concrete. Surprisingly the expected impact never comes, so I slow down and cautiously open one eye. I manage to pull my trolley to a stop before I run anyone over and look at my surroundings in wonder.

I am surrounded by people described as 'freaks of nature' or 'abnormal'. All looked like your average Joe if you didn't count the odd style of clothing, polished pieces of wood that were casually stuck in back pockets or cunningly hid up sleeves, some carried with them a cat, frog, or even an owl. They didn't look normal at all.

I slowly fought my way through the crowd earning many angry glares and numerous cries of "Watch it!" I struggled to load my heavy trunk onto the train and finally began that almost fruitless search for an empty compartment where I could lock myself away and hopefully be left in peace. That peace didn't last long and was shattered by others barging into my compartment without as much as a "Sorry" or apologetic smile.

I swallowed my anger and disappointment and smiled meekly. I managed to strike up a conversation with people that were my complete opposites, acting as if I behaved this way every single day of my morbid life.

Upon arriving at the train station my fellow classmates and I are met by a giant. We are led in a death march down to the most rickety boats I have ever seen. We sat gingerly on the rotting wood that is held together by only a few rusty nails, and crossed a cold lake inhabited by a giant squid that probably has a preference for fresh human skin.

Upon arriving at the castle I am ushered into a room like livestock and abandoned like yesterdays paper. The room was eerily silent and cold. Just as I start loosing the feeling in my hands a surprise visit by the castle's resident ghosts help make my heart beat faster sending circulation to my numb hands. I doubt any of my peers still need to visit the lavatory.

I am saved from the incomprehensible whining of the ghosts by an old lady who looks as if even a full bottle of firewhiskey couldn't succeed in loosening her up. Finally I am led through the halls into a room that would be inviting if the older students didn't have feral grins plastered on their faces.

We are told that this hostile mass of students will be our new family. Hopefully this family isn't very close. I am then put through the humiliation of wearing a hat that looks as if it hasn't seen the wash since its making. Apparently this hat has been given the unholy gift of speech and sends me off to my loving and warm family.

After dinner prefects lead us to the cells that they call our rooms, which I am forced to share with all the other boys in my year. I shudder to think of what the older boys use their shared facilities for. I am slightly relieved that I am not alone and yet do not wish to close my eyes for fear of what others may do while I am not watching.

The next morning I struggle through empty halls and changing staircases to make my way to breakfast. As I sit down the owl post arrives bringing howlers for bad children and forgotten items that end in public embarrassment. The worry of birds using my head for target practice enters my mind causing me to cringe every time one passes over head.

I make my way to classes by the aid of portraits that give out wrong information and hidden passages. I hurry down the corridors trying to be on time and to outwit the local poltergeist, Peeves, whose sole purpose is to piss everyone off. Detention is given to those that are late to be served out with either the masochistic care taker Mr. Filch or the dreaded potions master Professor Snape.

I am humiliated during my first lesson on a broomstick and am introduced to a rough sport where it seems the only goal is to whack balls at the other players. The physical and mental scars of that flying class will haunt me forever.

After a long day of classes I return to the common room to dutifully complete the day's homework only to be targeted by the house prankster. The older boys call it 'initiation'. The more commonly used term is torture. They also see fit to order me around as if I am a mere house elf.

I have been submerged into the politically ruled world of the school where prefects and seniors are to be obeyed at all costs. That was one lesson that I learned the hard way and will never have to take again.

Yet another tedious day begins, bringing more hardships then I could ever have imagined. Girls hang onto my every word, reminding me of leeches, asking for things that I cannot even begin to give them.

After receiving more homework I make my way to the library hoping to catch up and still have some free time on my hands, only to be glared at every time my quill so much as squeaks against my expensive parchment.

Just before curfew I race back towards my common room, trying to make it there on time. I am intercepted by the schools worst gang. The Slytherins. All are said to be followers of the Dark Lord, a plague this world can't seem to get rid of. I run for dear life. When I think I have finally lost them my leg becomes entrapped in a vanishing step on one of the lesser used staircases.

The filthy cat named Mrs. Norris alerts Filch to my presence and he proceeds to fetch Professor Snape who assigns me detention and deducts 50 points from my house for loitering. In the morning when my peers discover the total of house points, or lack thereof, I am ostracized. By the time any of them deem me worthy of their friendship I am bitter and refuse, preferring to be a loner.

I immerse myself in my studies hoping to achieve marks and a record that is high enough and clean enough to one day merit the position of prefect, or even better, Head boy. Then I will be able to flaunt my power.

Watching the hierarchy of population makes me sick to my stomach. Or maybe it is jealousy gnawing away at my insides saying "That it should be you." But it doesn't matter anymore because I have ceased to matter. That doesn't worry me because in due time all that will change, I swear it will. I will show them what I can be and what they are missing.

The jealousy and rage that has so carefully been locked away inside me threatens to burst when I find out that first years aren't allowed to visit Hogsmeade or attend school functions. Some of the older boys sneak back some firewhiskey and watch as the younger boys get smashed and participate in activities they won't want to remember in the morning.

I found out that there is a dueling club. I enter that sadistic club to find that it is just a reason for larger and stronger boys to pick on the innocent and weak, but no matter for soon I will be stronger than all of them combined. And then we will see who rules this school. They will pay for what they did, bowing at my feet.

Finis

A/N: Wow! My first one shot, and only my second story ever. Please read and review and feel free to check out my other story!


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